Quo vadam ed ad quid?

New Blog

2008-06-01T22:19:00.001-05:00

I am now blogging here, and will be deleting this blog...my old friend...later this year.

An Anniversary...and Serendipity

2008-02-09T10:28:00.001-06:00

I've not blogged in quite some and indeed am working on an idea for a new site/blog for my freelancing/writing purposes. I'll likely leave this site and it's sister site A Ragamuffin's Journey up while I cull from each the pieces I wish to preserve. But ultimately they are going to disappear into cyberspace forever. I highly doubt anyone has visited them in ages anyhow.My goal during Lent is

In just one month

2007-03-16T18:24:00.000-05:00

Hard to believe she's already a month old. Baptism invitations went out this week. Time sure flies when you're snuggling with a warm (and pink) baby girl. In that month friends who had been struggling with infertility and then adoption were suddenly called to pick up their brand new one-month old son. They are ecstatic and it's a thrill to behold. Another friend who had been trying for years

Into Great Silence

2007-03-06T22:59:00.000-06:00

I first wrote about this movie in an blog post around a year ago, and now it's finally coming to the US from Europe. I hope to see it if I can. It was released on DVD back in November and is available on Amazon.com under its German name of "die große Stille". However, the German version is in "PAL" format; which is not compatible with average U.S. DVD players. There are DVD players available that

It is time to "spend my heart"

2007-02-19T22:06:00.000-06:00

And so at long last she’s here. Arriving on Valentine’s Day (or the Memorial of Saint Cyril, monk, and Saint Methodius, bishop; depends on what you celebrate), my Sophia Rose entered this world. Already I sense that my life has changed forever.Sophia means “wisdom” in Greek. She was the legendary mother of the virgin martyrs Faith, Hope and Charity. Three days after their deaths she is said to

Sophia Rose

2007-02-15T13:48:00.000-06:00

Allow me to introduce the new love of my life: Miss Sophia RoseBorn on Valentine's Day 2007.Words yet cannot express........so I rely once again on Mr. Henley.AnnabellI watch you sleepingMy weary heart rises up on wingsI hear your laughterSomething deep down inside me singsWay down here in the land of cottonYou were born on a rainy daySince then, sweet things long forgottenThey just keep flooding

Long time, no see

2007-02-10T17:20:00.000-06:00

I haven't been around much (since November!). In that time I've been doing some writing, working way too much, and awaiting the arrival of my baby girl. She's due tomorrow as a matter of fact.Stay tuned...

A reason to visit Sweden

2006-11-28T21:47:00.000-06:00

It's about danged time!!! Woohooooooooooooo!!! What took them so long?

Talk, talk, talk

2006-11-28T20:44:00.000-06:00

According to a new book written (naturally) by a woman, women talk three times as much as men. It is something one half of the population has long suspected - and the other half always vocally denied. Women really do talk more than men. In fact, women talk almost three times as much as men, with the average woman chalking up 20,000 words in

Chesterton, PETA and resolutions

2006-11-26T13:27:00.000-06:00

As this is the final week of the year in the Church, and Advent marks the start of the new year next weekend, it's a time of resolutions. Among mine is to finally read the multi-volume set of the collected works of Chesterton I've acquired, having spent this past year on Tolkien; while perhaps slipping in some Milton as well. And so I began early this morning on Christ the King Sunday and when I

In the womb

2006-11-24T21:45:00.000-06:00

And to think after watching this video, that it wasn't two weeks ago that in the halls of the Supreme Court attorneys were arguing with justices over the "line of demarcation" at which point the baby would be too far out of the womb to allow you to puncture its skull and suck its brains out.

Lincoln Diocese article

2006-11-22T10:17:00.000-06:00

On Saturday I opened my city newspaper to Section C (Values Section) when what did appear? A photo of our bishop along with a large headline: Lincoln Diocese attracts conservative Catholics. I braced myself for the usual hit-and-run type of article that our paper runs that consists normally of the following template: 2-3 paragraphs of lukewarm description followed by paragraphs of quotes from

A hypocrite looks in the mirror

2006-10-31T09:56:00.000-06:00

An actual conversation late yesterday afternoon: Me: I know you're a huge Husker fan T, but I'd had enough by the 3rd quarter and shut off the game. I was so ticked off. T: Me too. I can't believe the way they played against Oklahoma State...and another thing... (5 minutes of mindless trashing of coaches and staff by two "fans" who obviously think they know a thing or two about coaching major

Be careful who you gesture to

2006-10-18T08:51:00.000-05:00

Good grief. Remind me to keep my gestures to myself. We should anyhow out of courtesy, but now add the threat of crossbow-wielding-drunken-nutjobs to the list of reasons why. "The receiving end of an obscene gesture." I can understand being upset if on the receiving end of a punch to the face...but an obscene gesture? Methinks the man too sensitive. A

Aerosol Art & Bratz Girls

2006-10-17T10:44:00.000-05:00

As Frederica Mathewes-Green points out in her review of the movie Open Season, beauty is a virtue in our world today that is often overlooked, scorned, scoffed at or worse...ignored. We take it for granted. We sweep it out of our lives in the hustle and bustle. The noise of the world overpowers the gentle and serene. And we are the worse because of it. I wonder sometimes if the crassness

Appropriate Punishment?

2006-10-13T10:53:00.000-05:00

Remember this idiot? A Fayette County T-ball coach was sent directly to prison Thursday for offering one of his players $25 to intentionally hit an autistic teammate with a ball during a pre-game warm-up last year. Fayette County Judge Ralph Warman sentenced Mark Downs Jr. to serve one to six years in a state prison and banned him from supervising any youth sports teams when

For Wayne

2006-10-06T23:16:00.000-05:00

While in the process of closing an old email account I've had on Yahoo since 1998, I came across the following email that I had saved. It was dated Oct. 18, 1999, and is a copy of one I had written to my friend Wayne's email account...less than a week after he had been killed.Wayne was an example of the kind of man I can only hope to be. We had become fast friends while I worked in a national

Why Am I Catholic? - Video

2006-10-05T21:16:00.000-05:00

This is a very cool video put together by Michael and Katerina. The story behind why they created it can be found here, and you can download an 18MB version or a 40MB version as well. I think it would be cool for RCIA classes, etc. Give a look.We made this video/slideshow for a Confirmation Retreat earlier this year to accompany a "Why am I Catholic?" talk. The slideshow gives six reasons for

Hail Holy Queen

2006-10-02T15:05:00.000-05:00

With this being October, it is the month when Catholics are exhorted to especially try to pray the rosary, which St. Pio of Pietrelcina called “the strongest weapon against the evils of the world. Bookmark Fr. Z as he is using the month of October to work his way through the Mysteries of the Rosary, offering insights from the Fathers of the Church and

Pretty In Pink

2006-10-02T00:29:00.000-05:00

According to modern science, and the ultrasound held last Thursday, it will indeed be a little girl that is added to our family around Valentine's Day. I am at once thrilled, and suddenly grayer at the temples, upon hearing the news. :-)

More Musing, Less Amusing

2006-09-29T23:58:00.000-05:00

While on retreat a few weekends ago, I came across the following passage the forward to Minute Meditations by J.E. Moffatt, S.J. It further buttresses my belief and my argument that people need to stop all the busyness in their lives and take the time to slow down, look at the stars, and reflect. While this was published in 1958, it seems to be written for us today.Great men are always thoughtful

The "Little Empty Attic"

2006-09-29T22:58:00.000-05:00

In June, I received an anonymous comment that has been rattling around in my brain ever since. Ironic when you consider the subject matter. And recently I had read of the study that Michael Medved chronicles here regarding the increasing number of televisions in the average American household.As headlined by the Associated Press, the report indicates “TV’s Taking Over in U.S. Homes” and conveys

Geography Meme

2006-09-26T15:19:00.000-05:00

Don't know much about geography...and I'm tagging Sparki with it next.1. A Place You've Visited and Your Favorite Thing thereFort Robinson, Nebraska. The gorgeous wide-open expanses and forestry, as well as a location awash in history.2. A Country You'd Like to Visit and WhyWales. My great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather Lewis sailed from Wales to Massachusetts in 1687. I'd

Einstein and The Church

2006-09-19T09:10:00.000-05:00

Does anyone honestly think that today, in 2006, the universities or the newspapers are going to among the defenders of our way of life if Islamofacism continues its march? If you do, you obviously haven't been paying attention. It's happened before after all, and in light of the rage and fury over a few 700 year old lines in a lengthy lecture given in

Elvis and the Tinfoil Hat Brigade

2006-09-18T15:05:00.000-05:00

By now you've heard many of them: Flight 77 landed in Ohio, and the passengers were gassed; bodies disposed of by our government. Explosives were detonated and caused the WTC to have the controlled collapse. Again, done by our government. The phone calls from the planes to the doomed passengers loved ones were carefully-crafted

5 Years Ago...

2006-09-12T00:05:00.000-05:00

I've never posted from YouTube.com before. But if ever anything was worth posting, this was:

Two Thousand One, Nine Eleven

2006-09-11T22:37:00.000-05:00

Two thousand one, nine elevenThree thousand plus arrive in heavenAs they pass through the gate,Thousands more appear in waitA bearded man with stovepipe hatSteps forward saying, "Lets sit, lets chat"They settle down in seats of cloudsA man named Martin shouts out proud"I have a dream!" and once he didThe Newcomer said, "Your dream still lives."Groups of soldiers in blue and grayOthers in khaki,

"I'll see you when you get there."

2006-09-08T11:07:00.000-05:00

I do not intend to add to the barrage of memorials and tributes that have been and will be circulated as we approach 9/11/06. There is one column, however, by Peggy Noonan that I wish to pass along. The subject she touches upon, the messages left on voicemail and answering machines that morning by those in harm's way, is something that's been on my mind of late. I watched a TLC special on

Robert Linnane: I'll meet you on the run

2006-09-07T23:51:00.000-05:00

The words are stark in their clarity and brevity:Last Name: Linnane Company: FDNY Assignment: Ladder 20 City, State: Manhattan NY Last location: World Trade Center Status Presumed Lost From Manhattan NY Country USA Company FDNY Date of Birth/Age Unknown / 33 Last Known Location World Trade Center Survived by: Background FDNY Firefighter - Ladder 20. Of West Hempstead. Heroically in the line of

The 2,996 Project

2006-09-07T23:28:00.000-05:00

I first heard of The 2996 Project from Michelle Malkin in late August and decided I wanted to participate in my own small way in honoring one who fell that awful day. As fate would have it I was assigned the following man:Robert Thomas Linnane, age 33.Place killed: World Trade Center. Resident of West Hempstead, N.Y. (USA).Aged 33. I was 33 on September 11, 2001.All of the 2,996 names did end up

A Higher Purpose?

2006-08-23T15:43:00.000-05:00

Killjoys!!! I don't know what's sillier: thinking that you have to use this method to draw a crowd in order to "honor" someone at their funeral, or the fact that now you can tattle on your neighbors via a hotline when they organize "misdeeds" at the funeral. I guess I'd always hoped for a large crowd to send me off to the Great Beyond with a festive

They SHOULD be ashamed...but I doubt they are

2006-08-23T10:23:00.000-05:00

Amen! Amen!! Amen!!! Let's see...terrorists are trying to kill us, both abroad and at home. Israel/Hezbollah. The absolute nutjob presiding in Iran. Ummmm....no....let's give them another four hours tonight of JonBenet and this Karr guy. They'll eat it up. Jon Friedman writes an excellent column that I wish his colleagues in the media would take to heart. Of course, that means I'm hoping

What My Soul Really Looks Like. Ummm...sure.

2006-08-19T17:18:00.000-05:00

What Your Soul Really Looks LikeYou are very passionate and quite temperamental. While you can be moody, you always crave comfort.You are a grounded person, but you also leave room for imagination and dreams. You feet may be on the ground, but you're head is in the clouds.You believe that people see you as larger than life and important. While this is true, they also think you're a bit full of

More on Maximilian (Raymond) Kolbe

2006-08-18T11:09:00.000-05:00

'Dear Mama, At the end of the month of May I was transferred to the camp of Auschwitz. Everything is well in my regard. Be tranquil about me and about my health, because the good God is everywhere and provides for everything with love. It would be well that you do not write to me until you will have received other news from me, because I do not know how long I will stay here.

Celebrating with St. Max

2006-08-14T22:46:00.000-05:00

"I wish to be a saint... I demand that you be saints and great saints. Sanctity is not a luxury but it is an obligation... and it is not difficult."Today is the feast day of my hero, my patron, St. Maximilian Kolbe. Catholic Exchange has a nice introductory article about the Saint of Auschwitz. I joined the Militia of the Immaculatae in 2000, making my initial consecration on January 1, 2001, a

Two Brothers

2006-08-14T22:38:00.000-05:00

--Will you come with me?--I'll go with you.Tip o' the fedora to Sparki for bringing this story to my attention.

Book Meme

2006-08-14T22:19:00.000-05:00

For you to fill out on your own and send to your friends, should you wish. I tried to stick to just one book, but failed miserably. But at least I was able to keep most answers limited to just TWO! Hopefully others will fare better and keep to just one.I'm tagging Sparki and Honora for their lists. :) (Oops, I just checked and see that Honora already did this one.) I've got to get quicker. I'll

Pink (and blue)

2006-08-14T13:30:00.000-05:00

While we won't have it confirmed until the ultrasound in 6 weeks, we both think that the new babe will be a girl. This is purely based upon the high heartbeat (especially compared to our other two sons at 12 weeks) and the parental reading of tea leaves, constellations, coffee stain shapes on napkins ("Wait, is that Elvis? No, it's gonna be a girl."),

Just A Dog

2006-08-09T13:57:00.000-05:00

When we lost Fenway last April, a good friend of mine sent me the following. I'd meant to post it earlier, but will do so now. Just a DogFrom time to time, people tell me, "lighten up, it's just a dog," or, "that's a lot of money for just a dog." They don't understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for "just a

Why?

2006-08-09T13:23:00.000-05:00

Michael Medved explains the answer to the question that I have been pondering over and over: why, exactly, does the world hate the Jews so much? I have never understood this concept. Between the media faking photos (you have to see 'em to believe 'em) to condemn Israel, to the lack of news coverage regarding the Seattle gunman shooting up a Jewish office (killing one and injuring five),

Moments of Grace

2006-08-05T23:26:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago I attended a daily Mass over my lunch hour at St. Mary's downtown. While I have it blocked out in my Outlook schedule at the office each day, my goal was to attend at least three times per week. I've failed miserably at that and rarely attend twice per month it seems. It didn't used to be this way, but I've spent more time running from Him and avoiding Him than I have spent seeking

Carpe Ductum!

2006-08-02T11:45:00.000-05:00

One of our favorite shows to watch is The Red/Green Show, as seen on PBS from 10 to 11pm on Saturday nights. This show has been on the air for 15 years and this year will be its final season. While I only discovered this gem around four years ago, it quickly became a laugh-out-loud favorite and now is one that Nolan hates to miss as well. The show is set up in northern Canada at the

Persevere

2006-07-28T12:09:00.000-05:00

The quotes below are a select few on the subject of perseverance, written by Saint Josemaría Escrivá in his book The Way. You can pick up a copy or read it online here. Webster's defines persevere as to "persist in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counterinfluences, opposition, or discouragement." Synonyms include: carry on, persist,

The vision thing

2006-07-27T23:02:00.000-05:00

Believe me, I want to like this movie....I REEEAAALLLYYY want to.I dunno though...I haven't quite caught on to Mel's vision yet.H/T: Cor Immaculatae

Joshua Michael

2006-07-27T10:31:00.000-05:00

"The grey rain-curtain turned all to silver glass and was rolled back, and he beheld white shores and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise." -- Quote from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Chapter 9, The Grey Havens. Regina Doman is one of my favorite authors and writers, having written such beautiful books as Angel In The Waters, which you

"We are fighting to eliminate you."

2006-07-24T09:43:00.000-05:00

Perhaps one of the best columnists/writers out there today is Mark Steyn, who's Sunday columns in the Chicago Sun-Times never fails to add clarity to events going on around us. This Sunday was no different as he provides some insights into the motivations and tactics employed by Hezbollah in the past, and where we are headed in the future. A must read

What does she tell her three kids who she let live?

2006-07-11T11:20:00.000-05:00

Truly one of the saddest stories or attempts at justifying abortion that I have EVER read. And I've read some doozies. Moral blindness being excused as being "adult". Words fail me. From Mere Comments: Donna Schaper says she's a grown-up, a pastor, and a murderer. She claims all three labels, and is not apologizing for any of them. Rev. Schaper, pastor of Judson Memorial Church in

Autographs for Curtis

2006-06-29T11:18:00.000-05:00

Said my kind-hearted father as he took my hand: “As you go in defense of our dear native land, “Son, be brave but show mercy whenever you can. “Our hearts will be with you, 'til you 'turn again.” -- Bright Sunny South – Alison Krauss & Union StationColton is a nine-year old boy who plays on the little league team of mostly 10-year olds that I’m coaching this summer. I suspect that when he was

Northern Magic

2006-06-28T10:55:00.000-05:00

Yet another sad case of why we need to be vigilant and aware of what our kids are posting online. This issue first came to light with Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris posting things prior to the attack they launched at Columbine, and clues are still being left by kids. The article linked above references Jonathan's struggles with adapting to life back on

Words meant things, redux

2006-06-27T13:36:00.000-05:00

As readers of this blog know, I've said time and time again that "words mean things". Dennis Prager does an excellent job in his column today describing precisely that, and how some have waged war on the words that should horrify us all, and by doing so have rendered them impotent and removed the stigma and ability to move us as they once did. It undermined the war against torture to

Prayers for the Assassin

2006-06-27T13:29:00.000-05:00

What would life be like in Islamic America? Read this book to get an idea.

Temper temper

2006-06-26T15:21:00.000-05:00

Quite simply the most bizarre antics I've seen by a baseball manager in long time. In the vein of Earl Weaver, Billy Martin, Lou Pinella, etc. I saw it on ESPN last night. I don't know what I liked more, the headfirst slide into 2nd (never seen that one before), tossing the base into the outfield (nah...Lou Pinella did that), covering home plate with dirt (Billy Martin already did that), or

Letter of St. Thomas More to his daughter

2006-06-22T19:59:00.000-05:00

Saint Thomas More was born in 1477 and was educated at Oxford. He married and had one son and three daughters. While Chancellor in the ming's Court, he wrote works on politics, culture, and in defense of the Catholic faith. At one time one of King Henry VIII's most trusted ministers, More was beheaded on July 6, 1535 by order of the King whom he and St. John Fisher had resisted in the matter of

Follow the money

2006-06-21T14:46:00.000-05:00

Kathleen Parker today writes about one of the most truly twisted forms of legal logic I've come across. Have we really gone this far, and can we ever go back? Banzhaf likes to sue people, in other words, and he’s been enormously successful. Which is to say, pregnant smokers, beware. Already Banzhaf is setting his sights on fetal rights related to their smoking mums. While it is

Jay & James

2006-06-21T14:29:00.000-05:00

In my opinion, it just doesn't get any better than reading Jay Nordlinger's Impromptus column. His latest is a fine example of wit and style and for me is never long enough. Another favorite when I find time to read him is James Lileks, whom Jay mentions today. His website is a source of the wonderfully bizarre (check out his section on a 1977 Frederick's catalog). Lileks writes a column

Library Thing

2006-06-21T14:12:00.000-05:00

I've recently discovered and began using a very cool tool called Library Thing. Those who know me best know what a complete and total bookworm/nerd I am and that one thing I take pride in is the library I am building, collecting and eventually bequeathing to my children. I am just beginning to add what I can from memory, but will eventually get as many as I can up and online. You can see my

Splinters and Beams

2006-06-19T15:54:00.000-05:00

I'm so tired of our country being criticized by the so-called "enlightened" continent of Europe on the matters of human rights. Matthew 7:1-5 still applies today. Hey Europe, take a look in your own backyard. While admittedly we have a lot of things we need to clean up here, this one of yours is a sad state of affairs indeed, and should serve as a reminder that we all have a lot of work to

The Mystery of the Trinity

2006-06-16T15:50:00.000-05:00

On NRO today, Michael Novak discusses the Catholic as dinner guest. Then I came to my final point. “Well, Christians hold that the most divine aspect of human life—the best thing—is the love of friendship. And we think of God accordingly. Although we cannot imagine how this can be—our imaginations fail here—we think of God as more like a

Random Thoughts...

2006-06-15T16:13:00.000-05:00

...from Amy. Michael told me the other night of a news story he'd read indicating that the more plugged in a young person is, the more anxious and depressed they are. Now, there could be an inverse relationship as well - that the more depressed a kid is, the more they plug in. But as we were talking about it, we decided that the reason might be this - because of computers,

One for your shelves

2006-06-07T11:17:00.000-05:00

The following is an excerpt from chapter five of Catholic Matters: Confusion, Controversy, and the Splendor of Truth by Fr. Richard John Neuhaus. I've been wanting to pick it up, and after reading this and a few other excepts think that one day soon it will find it's way into my hands. Anyone thinking about becoming Catholic is forewarned. Must

Words

2006-06-07T09:51:00.000-05:00

"Words are things; and a small drop of ink,Falling like dew upon a thought, producesThat which makes thousands, perhaps millions think." - Lord Byron (1788-1824), from "Don Juan"

Remembering days gone by

2006-06-07T09:19:00.000-05:00

I'm heading to KC on June 23 to play in Rob's Memorial Golf tourney again this year. I made it the first year but the last two years we have been on vacation during the same weekend. So this year I'm heading down by myself to meet up with some of the good friends of my past to help the wife and the children of one of my best friends...Rob. I'll probably drive back on Saturday night of the

Another time and place

2006-06-05T15:44:00.000-05:00

I'll be honest...sometimes I wish this was still going on in our church. I've never been able to attend a Latin Mass, but know of one parish in Lincoln that celebrates it...I just have never been able to attend. This Washington Post article does a succinct job in summing up what some would consider a "loss" in Catholicism, sacrificed to the god of

Batwoman

2006-06-01T16:34:00.000-05:00

Oh good grief.....

Pride of Place: Gregorian Chant

2006-06-01T15:52:00.000-05:00

Catholic Exchange had the following article on the use of Gregorian Chant in the Church. I myself have bemoaned the lack of use of chant and really miss it. On the occasions that we do use it in our parish I never fail to feel uplifted and recapture that sense of the divine that quite frankly is missing in so many of the post-V2 tunes that pass for

The Restrainer

2006-06-01T14:10:00.000-05:00

This meditation TRULY gives us pause...and something to pray and to think about. I've thought this often, especially over the past year, but this author really states it well.

Counting down...

2006-05-26T11:21:00.000-05:00

Michael Long, in the National Review, has written a series of columns this week on the top 5 "conservative" rock songs of all time. Interesting list. I won't play spoiler...take a look for yourselves. Here they are: #5, #4, #3, #2 and #1.

Suggestions for summer reading

2006-05-25T11:38:00.000-05:00

These look to be books worth looking into by Justin Mitcham. They both look intriguing:The Sweet EverlastingSabbath Creek I think I'll re-read Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird once more this summer, or C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters. Hmmm...gives me an idea. What is on everyone's summer reading list, if anything? I plan on continuing with the

Why I love reading...

2006-05-25T10:37:00.000-05:00

Every age has its own outlook. It is especially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds... by reading old books. -- C.S. Lewis from the Introduction: St. Athanasius' On the Incarnation

Requiescat in pace

2006-05-25T10:17:00.000-05:00

According to this report the man killed in this watercraft accident on Lake Travis near Austin yesterday was Fr. Todd Reitmeyer, longtime blogger, priest of the Diocese of Sioux Falls. It is heartbreaking to read his latest blog entries as he prepared for and began his vacation with his family in Texas. As this January post from his archives suggests,

Teaching Johnny About Islam

2006-05-23T09:29:00.000-05:00

Holy crap...enough already. Just give California back to Mexico or Spain or whomever, and let them fight it out with the Muslims...unbelievable. From Investor's Business Daily: Education: In our brave new schools, Johnny can't say the pledge, but he can recite the Quran. Yup, the same court that found the phrase "under God"

Two Horses

2006-05-18T14:56:00.000-05:00

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each looks like every other horse. But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing. Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him. This alone is amazing.If nearby and

Time to stay home and rent a movie instead

2006-05-17T15:19:00.000-05:00

Initial reviews of The DaVinci Code are mixed-to-disappointing. Disney announces that Prince Caspian, the Narnia sequel has been pushed back from late 2007 to May of 2008, and Universal Studios has purchased the movie rights to show us the horror that was Beslan. No thank you...that is one movie I will NOT be seeing. Watching the news unfold and

The Haunted Bookshop

2006-05-17T10:24:00.000-05:00

"The life of a bookseller is very demoralizing to the intellect... He is surrounded by innumerable books; he cannot possibly read them all. He dips into one and picks up a scrap from another. His mind gradually fills itself with miscellaneous flotsam, with superficial opinions, with a thousand half knowledges. Almost unconciously he begins to rate

God's Bouquet

2006-05-17T10:08:00.000-05:00

The following was on each table at the St. Elizabeth's Hospital Employee Banquet at The Cornhusker Hotel last week. I thought it worth passing along. God's BouquetYou must bloom where you are plantedIn the garden we call life,And bring some special beauty toEach corner where there's strife. Perhaps you're but a dandelion,Wishing you were a rose,Yet in this place of growing things,You're the

The Lost Leader

2006-05-11T23:55:00.000-05:00

Just for a handful of silver he left us, Just for a riband to stick in his coat--Found the one gift of which fortune bereft us, Lost all the others she lets us devote;They, with the gold to give, doled him out silver, So much was theirs who so little allowed:How all our copper had gone for his service! Rags--were they purple, his heart had been proud!We that had loved him

Knowledge and Context

2006-05-11T14:38:00.000-05:00

On one hand, we are a society that whines and cries about the most ridiculous and inane, while ignoring completely the plight of those subjected to brutality and horror on a scale we can't begin to fathom. Ben Stein recently wrote in a column about a discussion he had with a psychologist about what he (the shrink) would say to college graduates

Angels Among Us

2006-05-10T14:54:00.000-05:00

From an article in our local paper today: It was a small story, really. A simple story. It was a story about 7-year-old Joel Enriquez, a second-grader at Sacred Heart Catholic School, who made a balloon-powered valentine to send to his mother in heaven.But as Joel and his classmates gave the valentine a special sendoff, the wind blew and the balloons’ red, white and pink

Random Ramblings from me :)

2006-05-09T10:57:00.000-05:00

Random Thoughts from Monday night A cup of wine, under the flowering trees; I drink alone, for no friend is near. Raising my cup I beckon the bright moon, For he, with my shadow, will make three men. n Chinese poet Li Po (701-762) I’ve enjoyed having a glass of

It was only a matter of time...

2006-04-24T19:29:00.000-05:00

...until the Bishop Bruskewitz Fan Club found a home online.

But one of my favorite movies is "The Quiet Man"...

2006-04-23T02:42:00.000-05:00

You're 30% IrishYou're probably less Irish than you think you are...But you're still more Irish than most.How Irish Are You?

I think I'll hold out for the heavenly bling

2006-04-18T15:55:00.000-05:00

From MSNBC.com: God wants Blige to wear blingMary J. Blige says she has found religion, but she makes no apologies for her earthly materialism. In fact, she says God has willed her to wear bling. “My God is a God who wants me to have things,” the singer tells May’s Blender magazine. “He wants me to bling. He wants me to be the hottest

The Pitcher

2006-04-14T11:08:00.000-05:00

This is one of the coolest little poems/descriptions of the art of pitching a baseball that I've ever seen. A lot of truth here..."to be a moment misunderstood" indeed. The Pitcher His art is eccentricity, his aimHow not to hit the mark he seems to aim at, His passion how to avoid the obvious,His technique how to vary the avoidance.

Dependent vs. Independent

2006-04-13T16:14:00.000-05:00

"Amen, amen I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." (John 12:24; Jesus in the King James Bible, penetrating into the heart of man, for whom even in the beginning it was not good to be alone) Americans have always taken pride in their "rugged individualism"...their independent spirit. Indeed as I've

Read the Catechism in a year

2006-04-13T12:30:00.000-05:00

I am awaiting my copy of the new Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church to arrive at Gloria Deo, as it is still on backorder. (it sold 50,000 copies since it's release two weeks ago...must be still tough to come by). In addition, I'd like to point out a neat website/blog that has been set up named the Catholic Catechism Dialog Blog, where they present a plan (see the attached PDF

The Gospel of Skip and Muffy

2006-04-10T12:36:00.000-05:00

A response to the Gospel of Judas. I particularly like the last paragraph Diogenes wrote. New Gospel Discovered!! Newark, Apr. 8 (CWNews.com) - Archeological researchers in Ridgewood, New Jersey, have discovered an ancient Christian document that offers a radically new account of the founding of the Catholic Church. The newly

Victimhood

2006-04-10T11:48:00.000-05:00

This Calvin & Hobbes comic got me to thinking about something so prevelant in our culture today: victimhood. Indeed one no longer has to look to Oprah and her ilk to find it as it is a daily part of our headlines. From our Olympic athletes to Cynthia McKinney, victimhood is everywhere. Why? Because it's so damned easy. We're a generation of

Time to call AntiPesto

2006-04-07T10:42:00.000-05:00

As I recall, some British lads have faced this situation before... perhaps it's time for the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch! "Monster rabbit" targets vegetable patch (article below)Tim: There he is! King Arthur: Where? Tim: There! King Arthur: What? Behind the rabbit? Tim: It *is* the rabbit! King Arthur: You silly sod! Tim: What? King Arthur: You got

Rather be cruisin'...

2006-04-05T09:35:00.000-05:00

"This is a day that was meant for cruisin'." That was my thought this morning as I drove to work, having stopped to pick up a 20oz Turtle and a peach muffin at The Sunrise Coffee Co. Maybe it's the fact that it's sunny, clear and supposed to hit 75 degrees. Maybe it's the fact that I'm ready for a bright day after a week of sorrow over having lost my companion of eleven years to old age.

More on Bishop B's remarks

2006-04-03T10:46:00.000-05:00

Bishop Bruskewitz sent a stern rebuke back to the National Review Board last week and it's received a lot of coverage online.The Curt Jester demonstrates the differences between the Diocese of Lincoln and Cardinal Mahoney in LA, while Gerald says observes that our bishop kicks "backside", Ad Majorem links to the original USCC file on the National Review Board, and Domenico (the editor of Catholic

The Cruelest April Fool's Day of all...

2006-04-01T16:12:00.000-06:00

Our beloved family pet, our shih tzu who had just turned 11 yesterday, has passed on. Yesterday when I took Fenway to the vet X-rays showed a chest cavity so full of liquid that his heart and liver were not visible, and he was only able to use about 25% of his lung capacity to breathe. Either a tumor or enlarged heart was the cause, and it was inoperable. The only humane thing to do was to

I love our bishop...

2006-04-01T16:05:00.000-06:00

...as he's never been afraid to call a spade a spade. How's this for a hearty thwack upside the head? Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Nebraska, has responded sharply to criticism from the US bishops' National Review Board about his refusal to cooperate with the Board's "audit" of diocesan plans for implementing national guidelines on sex-abuse programs. Bishop Bruskewitz released this

Fenway

2006-03-31T13:33:00.000-06:00

Fenway turned 11 today, but I'm taking him to the vet in a few hours...we think his lungs and heart are failing...it's not looking too good at the moment.I sat him on our bed last night and curled up with him, petting him and talking to him. I can tell he's just getting old and weaker...I can't imagine our house without him.Funny how I can still see him bounding across my in-laws tall grass when

What Are Your Priorities?

2006-03-30T13:18:00.000-06:00

I got this from our Diocesan Stewardship Newsletter this month. - Jeff What Are Your Priorities? Jesus said to his disciples, “No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Luke 16: 9-15) When Jesus spoke of “serving mammon” he was teaching of priorities. “Mammon” means “assets”- cash,

Persecution?

2006-03-27T11:22:00.000-06:00

Reading Sparki's post from last Friday regarding Abdul Rahman and his fate in the hands of the Afghan government for his conversion to Christianity, got me to thinking along with her in regards to the "persecution" we Americans, particularly the religious, perceive ourselves to be under at times. This subject is especially in the forefront of my mind as I began reading Four Witnesses by Rod

O welche Lust!

2006-03-24T10:52:00.000-06:00

A column I try to never miss is Jay Nordlinger's Impromptu's. Here are a few items from his latest...Friend of mine sent me the below item. I’m afraid conservative satire, today, is impossible. Indeed, conservative comment is almost impossible!ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Easter Bunny has been sent packing at St. Paul City Hall. A toy rabbit, pastel-colored eggs, and a sign with the words “Happy Easter”

Signs of the times

2006-03-23T14:01:00.000-06:00

Over at WuzzaDem, a very lively debate is going on. And be sure to check out the new web toy that helped stir it.

Altar Servers, part tres

2006-03-23T13:54:00.000-06:00

Sparki has a few postings on the subject as well as this sweet article she recently wrote on the oldest altar boy in our diocese.

Altar servers, part deux

2006-03-23T13:48:00.000-06:00

Our local paper ran an article on this as well, and provides a little more depth to the background behind our bishop's decision. Amazingly, Mr. Krejci is not quoted in this article, which I can honestly say is the first time I've ever seen this happen. Perhaps he was busy doing whatever "activists" do... “The Diocese of Lincoln has chosen to

And then there was one...

2006-03-23T13:32:00.000-06:00

I see that USA Today received the memo that any article having to do with our diocese MUST include comment from our local heretic John Krejci. Ah America....home of the free and land of the activist...church activist, that is. No mention in this article of Mr. Krejci's own special brand of "activism" which included following a priest to the altar